Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-09-19

WIN 80 many Dressings, ana nave demon
strated so fully the strength and value OF
popular rule. He should rejoice in the won-
drous growth and achievements OF the past
100 years, and also ip the glorious promise
of the Constitution through centuries to
come. We shall fail to be duly thankful for
all that was done for us 100 wears ago unless
we realize the difficulties of the work then in
hand, and the dangers avoided in the task of
forming "a more perfect union" between dis
jointed and inharmonious States, with inter
ests and opinions radically diverse and stub
bornly maintained.
The perplexities of the convention which
undertook the labor of preparing our consti-
tuition, are apparent in these earnest words
of one of the most ilustrous of its members {:
The small progress We have made after four
or five weeks of close attendance and con.
tinued reasonings with each other, our differ
ent sentiments on almost every question
several of the last producing as many navs
as yeas-is. methinks, melancholy proof of
the imperfection of the human understand
ing. We indeed seem to feel our own want
of political wisdom since We have been run
ming about in search of it. We have gone
back to ancient history for models of gov
ernment. and examined the different forms
of those republics which. having been formed
viii Tue SteuS oI tutlF own ulssoiutlOD, now
no longer exist. In this situation of this as
sembly, cropping as it were in the dark to find
political truth, and scarce able to distinguish
it when presented to us, how has it happened.
sir, that we have not heretofore once thought
of humbly applying to the Father of Light to
illuminate our understandings
And this wise man proposing TO his fellows
that the aid and blessing of God should be
invoked in their extremity. declared:
81 have lived. sir, long time, and the
longer | live the more convincing proofs |
see, of the truth that god governs in the af-
fairs of men. And if sparrow cannot fall
to the ground without his notice. is it proba-
BILE that an umpire can rise without his aid2
We have been assured, sir, in the sacred
writings, that except the Lord build the
house, they labor in vain who build it l
firmly believe this, and also believe that
without his concurrng aid we shall succeed
in this political building no better thar the
builders of abel. We shall be divided by
our little partial, local interests, our projects
will he confouuded. and we ourselves shall
become a reproach and by-word down to fut-
ure ages, and what is worse. mankind may
hereafter, from this unfortunate instance,
despair of establishing governments by hu
man wisdom, and leave it to chance, war and
''In the face of all discouragements the
long weary months in alternate hope and
fear, but always with rugged resolve, never
in a sturdy endeavor sanctified by
prophetic sense of the value to posterity of
their success, and always with unflinching
fai h in the principles which make the foun-
d alton of a government by the people. At
last their task was done. 1t is related that
upon the back of the chair occupied by Wash
ington as president of the convention, sun
was painted, and that, as the delegates were
signing the completed constitution, one of
them said 81 have often and often, in the
course of the session, and the solicitude of
my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at
that behind the president without being able
to tell whether it was rising or setting. But
now at length | know that it is rising and
not a setting sun" We stand today on the
spot where this rising sun emerged from pc
litical night and darkness; and in its own
bright meridian light we mark its glorious
way. Clouds have sometimes obscured its
rays and dreadful storms have made us fear,
but God has held it in its course and through
its fe-giving warmth has performed His lat
est miracle in the creation of this wOndrous
land and people As we look down the past
we contemplate its trials and Its triumps, as
we realize how completely the principles up.
on which it is based have met every national
peril and every national need, how devoutly
should we confess, with Franklin, God gov
erns in the affairs of men; and how solemn
should be the reflection that to our hands is
this ark of the peoples covenant
and that ours is the duty to shield il from i'm
pious hands. We received it sealed with the
tests of century. 1t has been found suft-
cient in the past and in all the future years
it will be found sufficient if the American
people are true to their sacred trust. Anoth-
er centennial day will come, and millions yet
unborn will inquire concerning our steward
ship and the safety of their constitution.
God grant that they may find it unimpaired;
and as we rejoice in the patriotism and devo-
ton of those who lived hundred years ago,
so may others who follow us rejoice in our
fidelity and in our jealous love for constitu
tionsl liberty"
After President Cleveland had finished,
Judge Miller, the senior justice of the Uni
ted States Supreme Court, delivered the me
mortal oration.
The judge SAYS:
For all the evils of the period closely fol.
lowing the revolution, the limited and i'm
perfect powers conferred by the articles OF
confederation afforded no adequate remedy.
The Congress, in which was vested all the
authority that those articles granted to the
general government, struggled hopelessly and
with constant failure from the treaty of peace
with England in 1888, until the formation of
the new constitution. Many suggestions
were made for enlarging the powers of the
federal government in regard to particular
subjects. None were successful, and none
proposed the only true remedy, namely, au-
thority in the national government to enforce
the powers which were entrusted to it by the
articles Of confederation by its own imme-
iiste and direct action on the people of the
States.
II Is not a little remarkable that the sug.
gestion which finally led to the relief, with
out which a nation we must soon have |
perished, strongly support. the philosophical |
maxim of modern times, that of all the |
agencies of civilization aud progress of the |
human race, commerce is the most efficient. |
What our derauged finances, our discredita- |
Die failure to pay our debts, and the suffer |
ngs of our soldiers could not force the sew
eral States of the American Union to attempt, |
was brought about by desire to be released |
from the evils of an unregulated and burden |
some commercial intercourse, both with for |
aign nations and between the several States |
Judge Miller then shows how the constitu- |
ton grew out of commercial necessities, By a |
learned and exhaustive discussion.
Regarding the rule which gives small States |
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